Method and device for the multi-technology detection of vehicles

1. A method of detecting vehicles on at least one stretch of a carriageway implementing: an acoustic detection comprising a step of acquiring and processing the sound originating from at least one zone, termed the acoustic monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway; and at least one detection chosen from: a video detection comprising a step of acquiring and processing the video images of at least one zone, termed the video monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway; a radar detection comprising a step of emitting a microwave electromagnetic radiation towards at least one zone, termed the radar monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway and a step of acquiring and processing the microwave electromagnetic radiation reflected; and comprising processing the results of the acoustic detection and at least one of the video and radar detections so as to deliver an item of information regarding the presence or absence of at least one vehicle; wherein each detection performs the acquisition and processing steps at a sufficient frequency to allow at least two acquisitions of a vehicle travelling in the monitoring zone at a given reference speed.

2. The method of detection according to claim 1 , implementing the three types of detection and in that the step of processing the results comprises a comparison of the results so as to conclude on the presence or absence of the vehicle in the case of agreement of the results of at least two of the three types of detection.

3. The method of detection according to claim 1 , wherein the step of processing the results concludes on the presence of the vehicle in the case of agreement of the results of the three types of detection.

4. The method of detection according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the monitoring zones is distinct from at least one other monitoring zone.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the processing of the results is performed at a frequency below or equal to the smallest of the acquisition frequencies.

6. The method of detection according to claim 1 , characterized in that on completion of the processing step at least one of the following items of information is delivered: presence of vehicle; speed of vehicle; average speed; rate of occupancy of the carriageways; flow rate of vehicles; category or size of the vehicles; presence of a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction.

7. A method of detecting vehicles on at least one stretch of a carriageway implementing: an acoustic detection comprising a step of acquiring and processing the sound originating from at least one zone, termed the acoustic monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway; and at least one detection chosen from: a video detection comprising a step of acquiring and processing the video images of at least one zone, termed the video monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway; a radar detection comprising a step of emitting a microwave electromagnetic radiation towards at least one zone, termed the radar monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway and a step of acquiring and processing the microwave electromagnetic radiation reflected; and comprising processing the results of the acoustic detection and at least one of the video and radar detections so as to deliver an item of information regarding the presence or absence of at least one vehicle; wherein each detection provides at least one item of information regarding the presence of a mobile object in the monitoring zone and a confidence index related to the presence information.

8. The method of detection according to claim 7 , implementing the three types of detection and in that the step of processing the results comprises a comparison of the results so as to conclude on the presence or absence of the vehicle in the case of agreement of the results of at least two of the three types of detection.

9. The method of detection according to claim 7 , wherein the step of processing the results concludes on the presence of the vehicle in the case of agreement of the results of the three types of detection.

10. The method of detection according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the monitoring zones is distinct from at least one other monitoring zone.

11. The method according to claim 7 , wherein each detection provides information regarding direction and/or speed of movement of the mobile object.

12. The method according to claim 7 , wherein at least one detection provides information regarding the dimension of the mobile object.

13. The method of detection according to claim 7 , characterized in that on completion of the processing step at least one of the following items of information is delivered: presence of vehicle; speed of vehicle; average speed; rate of occupancy of the carriageways; flow rate of vehicles; category or size of the vehicles; presence of a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction.

14. A method of detecting vehicles on at least one stretch of a carriageway implementing: an acoustic detection comprising a step of acquiring and processing the sound originating from at least one zone, termed the acoustic monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway; and at least one detection chosen from: a video detection comprising a step of acquiring and processing the video images of at least one zone, termed the video monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway; a radar detection comprising a step of emitting a microwave electromagnetic radiation towards at least one zone, termed the radar monitoring zone, of the stretch of carriageway and a step of acquiring and processing the microwave electromagnetic radiation reflected; and comprising processing the results of the acoustic detection and at least one of the video and radar detections so as to deliver an item of information regarding the presence or absence of at least one vehicle; wherein the comparison between the result of one of the detections with the result of another detection is performed on the basis of a time offset determined as a function of the speed, optionally of the direction of the movement of the vehicle and of the distance between the monitoring zones for the detections whose results are compared.

15. The method of detection according to claim 14 , implementing the three types of detection and in that the step of processing the results comprises a comparison of the results so as to conclude on the presence or absence of the vehicle in the case of agreement of the results of at least two of the three types of detection.

16. The method of detection according to claim 14 , wherein the step of processing the results concludes on the presence of the vehicle in the case of agreement of the results of the three types of detection.

17. The method of detection according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of the monitoring zones is distinct from at least one other monitoring zone.

18. The method of detection according to claim 14 , characterized in that on completion of the processing step at least one of the following items of information is delivered: presence of vehicle; speed of vehicle; average speed; rate of occupancy of the carriageways; flow rate of vehicles; category or size of the vehicles; presence of a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction.

19. A device for detecting vehicles on at least one stretch of a carriageway comprising: acoustic detection means comprising at least one microphone disposed in such a way as to record the sound originating from at least one zone, termed the acoustic monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway and means for processing the sound; and at least one type of means of detection chosen from: video detection means comprising a video camera disposed in such a way as to monitor at least one zone, termed the video monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway and means for processing video images provided by the video camera; radar detection means comprising a microwave source emitting towards at least one zone, termed the radar monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway, means for receiving the microwave electromagnetic radiation reflected, and means for processing the radiation reflected; as well as a processing unit linked to the acoustic detection means and at least one of the video and radar detection means and adapted for delivering at least one item of information regarding the presence or absence of at least one vehicle; wherein, on the one hand, the detection means are adapted to acquire the sound and at least one of the video images and radiation reflected and, on the other hand, the processing means and processing unit are adapted for processing the results of the acoustic detection and at least one of the video and radar detections, at a sufficient frequency to allow at least two acquisitions of a vehicle travelling in the monitoring zone at a given reference speed.

20. The detection device according to claim 19 , further comprising RF communication means linked to the processing unit and adapted at least for ensuring the transmission of the information arising from the processing unit and for relaying information originating from at least one other detection device.

21. The detection device according to claim 19 , further comprising at least one electric battery for supplying the device and means for charging this battery comprising at least one photovoltaic panel.

22. The detection device according to claim 19 , further comprising a mast or pole on which the various constituent elements of the device are fitted height-wise.

23. A device for detecting vehicles on at least one stretch of a carriageway comprising: acoustic detection means comprising at least one microphone disposed in such a way as to record the sound originating from at least one zone, termed the acoustic monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway and means for processing the sound; and at least one type of means of detection chosen from: video detection means comprising a video camera disposed in such a way as to monitor at least one zone, termed the video monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway and means for processing video images provided by the video camera; radar detection means comprising a microwave source emitting towards at least one zone, termed the radar monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway, means for receiving the microwave electromagnetic radiation reflected, and means for processing the radiation reflected; as well as a processing unit linked to the acoustic detection means and at least one of the video and radar detection means and adapted for delivering at least one item of information regarding the presence or absence of at least one vehicle and a confidence index related to the presence information.

24. The detection device according to claim 23 , further comprising RF communication means linked to the processing unit and adapted at least for ensuring the transmission of the information arising from the processing unit and for relaying information originating from at least one other detection device.

25. The detection device according to claim 23 , further comprising at least one electric battery for supplying the device and means for charging this battery comprising at least one photovoltaic panel.

26. The detection device according to claim 23 , further comprising a mast or pole on which the various constituent elements of the device are fitted height-wise.

27. A device for detecting vehicles on at least one stretch of a carriageway comprising: acoustic detection means comprising at least one microphone disposed in such a way as to record the sound originating from at least one zone, termed the acoustic monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway and means for processing the sound; and at least one type of means of detection chosen from: video detection means comprising a video camera disposed in such a way as to monitor at least one zone, termed the video monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway and means for processing video images provided by the video camera; radar detection means comprising a microwave source emitting towards at least one zone, termed the radar monitoring zone, of the stretch of the carriageway, means for receiving the microwave electromagnetic radiation reflected, and means for processing the radiation reflected; as well as a processing unit linked to the acoustic detection means and at least one of the video and radar detection means and adapted for delivering at least one item of information regarding the presence or absence of at least one vehicle; wherein the processing unit is also adapted to compare the result of one of the detections with the result of another detection on the basis of a time offset determined as a function of the speed, optionally of the direction of the movement of the vehicle and of the distance between the monitoring zones for the detections whose results are compared.

28. The detection device according to claim 27 , further comprising RF communication means linked to the processing unit and adapted at least for ensuring the transmission of the information arising from the processing unit and for relaying information originating from at least one other detection device.

29. The detection device according to claim 27 , further comprising at least one electric battery for supplying the device and means for charging this battery comprising at least one photovoltaic panel.

30. The detection device according to claim 27 , further comprising a mast or pole on which the various constituent elements of the device are fitted height-wise.